On the heels of reaching 150,000 users, Talkspace is adding support for audio and video to its text-based therapy platform.

Guided by the idea to make therapy an affordable option for all, the new capabilities have been added for users who want to share their life using more than text.

Talkspace justifies the move with the fact that over 60% of patients on its platform are already sharing photos with their therapist, adding that this decision is welcomed by many of new and existing users.

“The audio and visual features provide our users with another option to the existing platform, and it can supplement in places where a text isn’t sufficient,” said Roni Frank, co-founder of Talkspace. “We don’t think that one should replace the other, it’s more a matter of finding the right balance of the two, and that’s really a decision that an individual user and their therapist should be making together.”

Over 60% of patients on Talkspace are already sharing photos with their therapist.Nevertheless, the company expects text-based messaging to rule its platform due to its familiarity and convenience, but the audio and visual features will “enrich the experience for users.” The service will continue to be offered at the same price, and a patient is free to use any messaging style without limit. Audio messaging is an appealing option for users that find typing messages challenging, while videos can be used for longer form messages with a more personal touch.